Cabinet approves anti-party hopping Bill, to be tabled in Parliament on July 18

PETALING JAYA: The Cabinet has approved the draft of the anti-party hopping Bill prepared by a parliamentary special select committee to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat, says Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (pic).

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) said the notice of the draft Bill was brought up during Wednesday's (July 13) Cabinet meeting and no questions were raised.

"The draft was unanimously approved by the Cabinet ministers.

"Therefore, the tabling and the debate of the anti-hopping Bill in the next parliamentary meeting will go on as per the planned timeline," he said in a statement on Thursday (July 14).

The anti-hopping amendment Bill will be presented in Parliament on Monday (July 18).

Wan Junaidi noted that the Bill was targeted for a debate on July 27 and 28, subject to the discretion of the Speaker.

Earlier, after chairing the Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) on the anti-hopping Bill, Wan Junaidi said the Bill could become law by late August or early September, which was possible following moves to fast-track gazetting it once passed by both the lower and upper Houses of Parliament.

Once passed by both Houses, he said the Bill will be presented to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong under Article 66 of the Federal Constitution between Aug 11 and Aug 26 for royal assent.

Gazetting of the Bill is expected to take place between Aug 29 and Sept 2, he said, adding that the timeline for the passage of the Bill through Parliament was agreed upon by the PSSC and brought to the Cabinet’s attention on Wednesday (July 13).

According to the timeline, a copy of the Bill would be distributed to MPs on Monday and it will come up for debate on July 27 and 28, at the discretion of the Speaker.

The first and second readings of the Bill in the Dewan Negara will be on Aug 9 and Aug 10.